The Sten's Kadan
by silvergryphon06
Summary: It is a title only given to a few, a word that holds more meaning than you can possibly imagine...


_**A/N: Allo all, I own nothing, just a simple writer and lover of the game. Reviews are welcomed and enjoy :D**_

**Before the Battle**

Elissa fingered the pommel of her dagger, fingers dragging slowly over the metal, smooth and cool to the touch. She had led her little band of misfits to Redcliffe, figuring now was as good a time as any to see the Arl and ask for his aid in what she knew was going to be the bloodbath in Denerim. She was the daughter of one of the most powerful Teyrns in Fereldan, thus she knew exactly how Loghain was going to play...deadly. She felt someone approaching, but she didn't turn around.

"What do you see, Warden," Sten's deep voice rumbled behind her.

She didn't respond for a time, content to let the breeze from Lake Calenhad brush her face as her hazel eyes focused on nothing in particular.

"I see little at the moment, Sten. I was listening to the water."

She was perched on the edge of the wooden planks overlooking the cliffs, crouching on her haunches. Her brother had often teased her about that habit, calling her the little gargoyle. She almost smiled, remembering how she had been teaching Oren to control his breathing, to ignore the burn of muscles as they had sat together on the ramparts of the castle. With only the flickering lights of torches and stars, she had pointed out the constellations to him, watching his little face light up from the attention and the wonder of such a wide world. As much as she had hated him calling her Auntie, she missed that little voice dearly. Not allowing herself the deep sigh, she instead tightened her grip on the wood, feeling the bite of splinters through the thickness of her gloves.

"Does the lake have a voice to speak to you?"

Elissa almost smiled at his genuine attempt at humor. Since she had found his beloved sword and returned it to him, he had been trying to speak to her in a manner that was friendly, for him anyway. His hard features betrayed little as to what he was actually thinking. She found that she rather liked that about him. It was refreshing to look into a face that held no pity for her loss, only a promise that he would fulfill his duty and to fight by her side to end the Blight.

"In its own way, yes. I hear its voice in the waves..."

He snorted and she was unsure if it was laughter or derision.

"Then your hearing is keener than the _Atashi_, _kadan_."

Elissa turned half towards him, arching an eyebrow delicately and with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Are you comparing me to the Archdemon, Sten?"

He returned her gaze evenly as he stepped to stand beside her before glancing away towards the Arl's castle, the stone walls dull in the afternoon light.

"It seems a fair comparison. You are a fierce warrior and have completed much that I would have thought impossible, considering you are a woman."

She chuckled and stood, looking back out across the Lake.

"Then I suppose I should take that as a compliment on my fighting abilities."

She heard him grunt, then fall silent as they watched the sun slowly set, kissing the surrounding cliffs with a crimson light. They remained like that for a time and Elissa breathed in the scent of twilight, enjoying it. She knew that it was probably going to be the last pleasant thing she experienced for a long while. Suddenly curious, she turned to look up at him, ruefully reminded just how much taller he was.

"Sten, what exactly does _kadan_ mean?"

If she didn't know better, she would have sworn his entire body stiffened just the tiniest bit. He didn't say anything to her inquiry for so long that she was about to turn away and forget about it, but then he turned to face her fully, his eyes downcast, as if he was searching for the answer in the red clay beneath his boots.

"It is difficult to find the words to describe what it means in your tongue, Warden."

She crossed her arms and cocked out one hip, as if to say she was willing to wait patiently as he tried to find the right words. Elissa watched him carefully as he took a deep breath and lifted his gaze to look her in the eyes.

"I had said that I believed you to be an _Ashkaari_, one who is enlightened and this is still true. But, it is more than that. You are our leader, Warden and you have proven to me that you are worthy of being called _kadan_."

She nodded. "I appreciate that a warrior like you would accept me as such, Sten."

But he shook his head.

"_Kadan_ does not mean leader, Warden." He sighed and fell silent again, turning his head to once again look out over the Lake. She watched the sun's fading light play along the hard edge of his features, secretly enjoying the opportunity to study him. Though harsh, there was something handsome in that face, a chiseled quality that Elissa found she liked. After a few moments, he looked back at her, something behind his eyes that Elissa couldn't identify, probably because she was so surprised to see something there. His voice was low, but steady and his words made her heart skip a beat.

"To be _kadan _is to be where the heart lies...my heart."

She couldn't say anything, she was so dumbfounded. Flattered, pleased, happy, yes, but most of all dumbfounded. Sten, the sten of the beresaad, in complete seriousness, had just told her that _she_ was where his heart was. Her shock must have been plain on her features because he looked down again and shifted one foot, kicking lightly at the red dust. Was he actually being shy? Oh, by the Maker, where was the Archdemon? Surely the horde was about to swoop down upon them for him to show, what was for him, such a blatant expression of embarrassment. Elissa stared at him for a long time, trying to sort out what exactly she felt about it. When Sten finally raised his head again to look in her face, he saw she was smiling gently.

"I think I like the qunari language far better than my own. That...that's a beautiful thing to say, Sten."

He nodded shortly, his trademark scowl lessened slightly at her acceptance. He breathed deeply through his nose, then took a step towards her. She tilted her head back further, to keep the eye contact and she said quietly,

"I wish there was a word in my tongue that was as meaningful as _kadan_."

He cocked his head a little as he leaned towards her slightly, his violet eyes gazing intensely into her own.

"Why is that, Elissa?" He said the name slowly, deliberately, rolling it off his tongue as if to say it was as sweet as the little cookies he was so fond of.

Elissa was finding it hard to breathe with him so near to her, the heat from his big body almost scorching. She caught his scent, a mixture of tea leaves and salt.

"Because...I gave you my heart the day I brought _Asala _back to you," she whispered. His pupils were dilated and she was sure she heard his breath catch. She felt both of large hands on her shoulders, warm and rough from years of combat. His lips were inches above hers now and as her eyes started to drift close, she heard his deep voice rumble,

"It was not my sword that completed me that day, _kadan_...it was you."

Then his mouth crashed down onto hers and Elissa felt herself being lifted clear off the ground. The feel of his lips against hers was electric, making her head spin and she was actually grateful she didn't have to stand at that moment, unsure if her knees could have held her up. She kissed him back eagerly, pouring everything she was, all she would be, and she heard him growl his approval as she nipped his lower lip lightly. He responded by parting her lips with his tongue and she was aware that she had was making small mewling noises at the back of her throat as Sten deepened the kiss. His arms tightened around her as their tongues warred for dominance, one arm holding her against his broad chest while the other hand came up to tangle in her chestnut hair. She let her own hands run along his white braids, her fingernails gently scrapping along his exposed scalp, making his big body shudder. She moved them down, caressing his face, then further, to wrap her arms fully about his neck, loving the feel of the muscles of his upper back beneath her fingertips.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sten pulled back, leaving Elissa feeling dizzy and flushed. She felt a certain amount of feminine pride that he seemed just as breathless and aroused as she did, the hardness pressing urgently against her thigh a pretty good indication of what he was feeling. She pressed another, quick kiss against his surprisingly soft lips as he let her down, smiling at how reluctant he looked to let her go. She didn't step back right away, instead leaning her forehead against his chest as they tried to even their breathing. She was pleased to feel one of arms come back to encircle her. She lifted her head and stepped back. Elissa arched a brow and smiled when she heard him make a deep sound that she interpreted as a chuckle.

"I think it would be best if we returned to finish preparing for the battle tonight."

She nodded her agreement and felt her heart hammering as he leaned back down to whisper heatedly in her ear,

"We will continue your language lessons at a later time, _kadan_. I intend for you to be able to speak the Qunari tongue...fluently."

**During the Battle**

Later that night, Elissa stood with Sten and the others, gearing up for what was going to be a hellish night. She could feel the Qunari's eyes on her even with her back to him and she smiled privately as she bent to pull on her boots, intentionally teasing him. Sten was such a disciplined, stoic warrior that no on else, not even that lecherous elf, Zevran, noticed that there was quite a bit of flirting going on right in front of their noses. He never showed any hint that he noticed what she was doing, but Elissa was certain that he knew. Standing straight, she tightened her gauntlets, the leather scratching her skin lightly. There was a glint to her eyes, an icy resolve that the Couslands were famous for. She turned and looked over her friends. They were ready. Grinning wickedly, she strode towards the Chantry's large double doors and they followed her as she walked into the torchlight of the barricaded town.

The militiamen looked at the group as they came out, their gaze drawn to the woman at their head. Many of them murmured at the Grey Warden, whispering amongst themselves that she was sent by the Maker himself to save them, others that she was to be their doom. She heeded neither their words or their looks, instead moving to the center of the gathering, who gave her a wide berth, whatever their opinion. She didn't stop till she reached the edge of the barricade, the firelight casting a large shadow before her. She looked back over her shoulder at the men, then her gaze feel on Morrigan, who grinned back at her. Oghren was laughing to himself and she heard Leliana offering a prayer to the Maker. Satisfied that they had made as ready as they could, she turned back to stride up the hill towards the mill.

The corpse men came down in a horde, their charge like unholy thunder down from the castle to where Elissa and her troops were waiting. She signaled Ser Perth, who commanded the fire trap that she had planned, lit. The oil erupted into flames just as the corpses turned the hill. Drawing her blades, the firelight flashing against the cold steel as she twirled them expertly in her hands and calling back to the men behind her,

"Let's dance, boys."

With that, they rushed to meet the reanimated bodies of their friends, brothers, sons, men they had known and lost in life. Now they had to fight to keep from joining them. Elissa heard Oghren and Alistair's battle cries and shook her head. Youthful and drunken exuberance made a lethal combination, one that the undead were going to learn to respect. The first one came at her from the right and she easily dodged its clumsy sword chop. Flicking her wrist, she deftly blocked and sliced through its abdomen, rotting innards spilling onto the hard packed earth. She retched at the smell, then gritted her teeth and charged into the fray. The screams of the monsters mixed with that of the knights, but Elissa ignored it. There was nothing except her blades dancing, the bodies of her foes falling one after the other. A ball of crackling lightning flew past her on the left, exploding amongst the enemy, leaping from corpse to corpse, adding the stench of coppery electricity to the already overwhelming odor of burnt flesh and decay.

It was during a lull in the battle that a militiaman ran up to Elissa, panic clear in his voice.

"They're coming up from the Lake! We're going to be overwhelmed, you have to help us!"

She barked out an order for the knights to hold the line, then motioned for Sten, Wynne and her faithful mabari to follow her down to the water's edge. As they rushed, she could indeed see the monsters rising from the depths, making her skin crawl. She yelled for the others to run on ahead and she sprinted towards the end of the bridge. With a heave, she leaped onto the edge, then jumped down onto the rocky hillside. She bounded down, gaining speed. As she reached the bottom, she used her momentum to launch into her Whirlwind attack, slicing a hole right through the enemy's line. Sten had apparently guessed what she was going to do, because as she skidded to a stop along the dock, he was leading the militia in a charge to take advantage of her maneuver.

Sten fought his way towards her. She met him, throwing her back against his. They were surrounded and she was panting from the excursion of her attack. She heard Sten behind her.

"Are you ready, _kadan_?"

She laughed, wiping the corpse blood from her eyes.

"Do you have to ask?"

"_Ebost issala_," he roared and she moved.

He swung _Asala_ in a horizontal arc, cutting a large swath through the undead. Elissa's daggers were a blur as she twirled them in large arcs in front of her body, then moved from his back to roll forward. She cut the legs from one corpse, then yelled at Sten to kneel. He obeyed, dropping to one knee, driving _Asala_ through the corpse that had tried to attack him from behind. Elissa had never been so grateful that she had talked her father into letting her train than she was that night. She ran toward Sten and jumped, using his shoulder to launch over him and into the fray, daggers spinning. Sten was right behind her and together they dashed back to the barricade. Just as they came into the firelight, Elissa yelled for the archers. Arrows whizzed by her ears and she heard them thunk dully as they found their marks.

**After the Battle**

Breathing heavily, she turned to look back and was relieved to see that there wasn't a single undead moving behind them. Far up the hill, she could hear the knight's cheering. She ordered men to comb the streets to look for stragglers, but was fairly certain that there would be few to find. She saluted to Murdock, who was grinning and nodded to Bann Teagan, who bowed to her. She held up a bloody hand.

"Please, my lord, I am a Grey Warden only."

Teagan smiled.

"Maybe so, but this night, you are our champion."

Elissa returned his smile and motioned for the wounded to be moved into the Chantry. She left the village in the Bann's capable hands and, together with her friends, went up to the mill to check on the remaining knights. It had been bloody, but the knights had indeed won. Ser Perth was speaking with Alistair, while Morrigan beckoned to Wynne irritably.

"Come help these men, I am no healer."

Elissa was tired, but she knew she was still needed. As dawn's rosy fingers slowly stretched out in the sky, Elissa and her band made their camp just outside the village. They had been offered shelter by both the Chantry and the grateful people, who had offered their own homes to the champions of Recliffe, but Elissa had refused them smiling.

"You deserve your own beds and we deserve ours."

For once, Wynne relented and magically pitched the tents for the exhausted group, much to Alistair's delight. Elissa patted his cheek fondly, then went to her own tent to strip out of her bloody armor. Wynne, being the motherly woman she was, had also conjured some warm water in the tents for bathing and Elissa gladly washed away the blood and grim of the previous night. Feeling refreshed, and much happier after washing her hair, she stripped down to her small clothes, seating aside her armor to clean after she had slept. It was then that she heard him come into her tent, his large presence difficult to ignore. Highly aware that she was only in her small clothes, she didn't turn, instead moving to find the comb her mother had given her when she had come of age. She found it in her pack, and humming softly, started to work at the tangled knots.

She felt Sten's big hand on hers, stopping her movement. She stilled, but didn't move her hand from his.

"I will clean your armor for you later today, _kadan_."

She closed her eyes, not willing to show just how much hearing him call her that now affected her. Perhaps she didn't have to, because he turned her to face him, his face unreadable as always. He looked down into her face and nodded.

"You fought well, _kadan_. Your strategy was sound, as always."

She had been around him long enough to know that praising her skills as a warrior and commander was the highest compliment he would ever verbally pay her, so she smiled and nodded.

"As was yours."

He shook his head.

"I merely followed your lead. It was your battle and I am proud to have fought beside you. Now..."

He turned her, rather gently, and moved his hand to trail a finger along her jaw. She looked up at him, feeling her heart beating rapidly in her chest. He had changed into the simple trousers and shirt she had first seen him in. The shirt was really too small, stretching tightly across his chest muscles and Elissa tried hard not to let it distract her. The last thing she wanted was to seem like was some randy schoolgirl. She was no blushing maiden, nor did she wish to be, but, by the Maker, he was making her feel things...

She never finished that thought. He leaned down and spoke in a deep, low voice,

"I have made a promise to you, _kadan_. I am honor bound to keep it."

She arched a brow. She knew she was going out on a limb, but she was feeling bold.

"_Shanedan_."

His breathing changed and she watched his eyes darken, taking on an almost dangerous glint. He ran a thumb along her lower lip.

"You have been practicing my language?"

She smiled.

"You had promised me further lessons, but I thought I should let you know what I already have learned. But, perhaps you should show me how to say the words?"

She flicked her tongue over the pad of his thumb and she felt his growl more than heard it. Just like that, he had picked her up by the waist and her only choice was to wrap her arms around his neck and her legs about his waist. His hands moved up along the curve of her spine, somewhere that she was extremely sensitive, and she arched her back, gasping. She felt him growl again, apparently enjoying of her reaction. He nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing the soft skin beneath her ear.

"You speak it well, but I wish to hear other words that you have mastered."

She moaned as one hand slid down to grasp her bottom firmly and let her head fall back as his lips traced her ear and she wiggled against him, unable to stay still.

"That is for teasing me tonight," he said.

She felt breathless, yet she managed to speak.

"_Ataash qunari._"

Sten grunted with approval.

"A battle cry. That is...appropriate," He punctuated his statement by squeezing her bottom again, making her shiver.

Elissa was quickly losing ground, but she smiled and replied,

"So I should think of this as a _shok_?"

She swore she heard him groan into her neck, but the feel of his lips pressing hot, wet kisses down to her collarbone, then up to her lips had her full attention. She kissed him back, eagerly parting her lips at his insistent, probing tongue. She sucked at it lightly, smoothing her hands along his shoulders, across his chest, loving the sensation of hard, corded muscle. He braced her with one hand as she leaned back, her own eyes dark with desire. He finally answered her as his eyes raked across her body, leaving her feeling flushed. He murmured,

"I have already told you that you resemble the _Atashi_. I find that you are too fierce..."

She pressed her fingers to his lips and whispered, "_Parshaara, Sten_."

She knew she heard him groan then as he raised his free hand to rip her breast cloth from her chest. His mouth blazed a trail down to the slopes of her breasts, his tongue swirling lightly around her nipple, before pulling it into his mouth and suckling. She cried out his name, digging her fingers into his shoulders, as heat began to pool low in her belly, leaving her feeling wet and aching. he switched to the other, his hand coming up to caress the one he had left, his thumb flicking the rosy bud. Elissa arched her back, offering herself to him, thrusting her hips forward to rub against the hardness she felt there. He made a deep noise in the back of his throat, then lifted his head to kiss her again, his hands gripping her hips to keep them pressed so intimately together. Sten thrust forward, making them both gasp. Oh, Maker, if it felt this good with their clothes on...

Before she knew it, Sten had laid her down on the blankets and was removing his own garments. She looked up at him, naked, his desire for her evident and her eyes widened at just how large he was. Suddenly, he was above her, his hand stroking along her sides, her ribcage, down her stomach, to gently tug at the strings that held her under garment in place. Then he was touching her, teasing her by sliding his fingers around her core, pressing his thumb against the tiny button, making her shiver and clench her hands into fists, twisting the blankets between her fingers. She called his name as he ghosted kisses up her abdomen, her breasts, to slid silkily against her lips.

"Elissa," he breathed, raining kisses on her face and jaw, "I can wait no longer, _kadan_."

She couldn't find the words to speak, so she simply reached down and squeezed the tip of his length, tugging gently and he gasped. Elissa guided him into her body and he slowly pushed his way inside, letting her adjust to his size. But she knew what she needed and ran her hands through his braids, pulling him down for a kiss, then bit his lower lip lightly. Sten growled and something seemed to snap, because he was thrusting inside of her in a rhythm that was as old as heaven itself. Elissa could feel the ripples getting stronger, making her ache sweetly. As he moved quicker, she peaked, letting the wave crash over her again and again. Sten grunted as he felt her contract around him and, after a few erratic thrusts, reached his own release.

He hung his had, panting over her, and she wrapped her arms around his body as best she could. He rolled over, letting her cradle her head in the crook of his sighed in contentment, nuzzling against him and he pulled her body close, so that she could feel his heartbeat against her chest. She placed a small hand over that spot and looked into his violet eyes.

"I am this?"

He nodded, covering her hand with his own.

"You always will be, _kadan_," he said, sealing that promise with a kiss.


End file.
